THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512210175
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
TO SAY THAT nothing was as it seemed at a recent meeting in the Convention and Visitor Development conference room would be a considerable understatement.
Following a white rabbit down a hole to take tea with the Queen of Hearts and a demented hatter would probably have made more sense than the tense scene that unsuspecting Beach Borough Councilman Linwood Branch found himself in that afternoon.
He, alone, was unaware that neither of the two women voicing angry complaints about development in their Oceanfront neighborhood lived within miles of the strip, that City Manager James Spore wasn't on hand to protect the city's interests in a rezoning dispute and that Lynnhaven Borough Councilman Bill Harrison didn't arrange the meeting because of fears that the women's threat to boycott any planned action would have serious impact on his constituents as well.
The setup was an elaborate ruse concocted by Harrison as a way of announcing to Branch that he had been chosen by the Virginia Beach Jaycees as its Outstanding Young Citizen.
It was only after the two irate citizens (Beth Stevens, president of the Virginia Beach Jaycees, and Kristin Bean, public relations vice president), demanded to know why Branch hadn't returned their calls that the Oceanfront innkeeper got his first clue that something was amiss.
``That's strange,'' Branch said, thoughtfully, ``I'm usually very good about returning calls. Are you sure you left messages?'' A moment later, he leaned back in his chair, looked around the table at the small, not quite poker-faced group, and said softly, ``Does somebody want to tell me what's really going on here?''
Spore and Harrison, both of whom had supported Branch as the choice for the honor, grinned as Stevens stopped playing the angry citizen and made the announcement.
``We don't really have a complaint. We're from the Jaycees,'' she explained, ``and you are our new Young Citizen of the year.''
Branch shook his head and laughed. ``Boy, that's a relief,'' he said. ``I couldn't even figure out which development you ladies were upset about.''
Although the councilman, who was chosen for his dedication to upgrading the Oceanfront and developing recreational opportunities throughout the city, was born in Norfolk and grew up in Richmond, he has strong ties to the resort area.
``My grandfather came here from Enfield, N.C., about 50 years ago with $150 in his pocket and opened a few tourist cottages. Little ones - with outhouses. We've come a long way since that time. We've got in-room bathrooms now,'' deadpanned Branch, who owns and operates the 110 room South Shore Resort Inn.
Before being elected to City Council in 1992, he served as president of the Virginia Beach Resort Retailers Association and as president of the Virginia Beach Hotel/-Motel Association.
Among the projects he has been instrumental in developing and promoting are the East Coast Surfing Championships, Tourism Growth Investment Fund, West Neck Creek Golf Course, 17th Street Park, Virginia Beach Amphitheater, American Music Festival and the expansion of the Virginia Marine Science Museum.
``I'm not a spotlight person,'' Branch said after the confusion in the meeting room had settled down. ``I just see council as a conduit (for ideas) from citizens to city staff.''
The Randolph-Macon College graduate is as proud of the city as he is enthusiastic about its future.
``I go around to other cities like Virginia Beach and I realize how much we have here that's good. There's a lot of momentum here and a lot of support from citizens. That's the thing that makes Virginia Beach so different from a lot of communities. We have a little bit of everything here and with all that's planned, we're going to make it even more special.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by Jo-Ann Clegg
Beth Stevens, Virginia Beach Jaycees president, left, and Kristin
Bean, public relations vice president, congratulate Linwood Branch
after he is named Outstanding Young Citizen.
by CNB